Electrically-displayed writing apparatus



Dec. 25, 1928.

c. LAURIA ELECTRICAL! DISPLAYED WRITING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1926 anoenboz h a (brine/0 Zaurz'a w s H 3% Maw. WM.

7 V W V W Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

GARMELO LAURIA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIGALLY-DISPLAYED WRITING APPARATU$.

Application filed September 21, 1926. Serial No. 136,788.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to devices for selectively causing incandescent electric lights to glow by means located at a remote point. p a

One of the objects of the invention is in the provision of means whereby a handactuated stylus, passed over a field of small contacts,

forms a circuit with lamps correspondingly displayed upon a board at any conspicuous place, whereby the writing done with the stylus is instantly shown upon the board but in a greatly magnified form.

A further feature is to provide means whereby the writing is rendered permanently visible from beginning to end for such length oftime as may be desired.

Another object is in the provision of a writing surface disposed over the contacts which isreadily renewable, all previous marks being easily eradicated and the contact making element removed for subsequent use.

These and other advantageous features are attained by the novel and characteristic construction and combination of parts hereafter described and shown in the annexed drawing, forming part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a general plan view of an as sembly of the device, the drawing being largely diagrammatic and fractional in its scope. 5

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the stylus employed.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the writing table, drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 1- is a similar view of the same, further enlarged and showing the stylus as aplied. p Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the stylus, looking on line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates conventionally any convenient source of electrical energy, having a conductor 11 engaging a board or lamp holder 12 the same being composed of conducting material, of any desirable dimensions and mounted in such location and man ner as to be plainly conspicuous.

Fixed in the board12 are a multiplicity of incandescent electric lamps 18, arranged in intimate staggered relation, their bases, having one of the poles, being grounded in the board.

The other pole of each lamp is independently engaged by cables 14 to conductors 15,

each of which is attached to one of a series of contacts 16 rigidly secured ina table 17 composed of dielectric material, the inner ends of the contacts being substantially flush with the tablesurface. The table 17 is disposed in a level horizon tal plane and provided with a raised margin 18 interjacent of whichis a groove 19 having an outlet 20 at one corner of the table. Disposed on the surface ofthe table, within the. confines of the groove 20, is a strongly adherent coating 21' of any preferred yieldable plastic material of dielectric nature,

allv uniform thickness and covering the ends of the contacts 16 so that the same are obsoured. v

By referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that a number of round bottomed grooves or channels 22 have been formed in the wax surface, extending through to the .table top and the ends of the contacts which may be in the path of a scriber or stylus point 23.

The operative depth of the grooves 22 is increased by forcing thewax by the rounded point 23, causing ridges on each side, this effect being advantageous as will later be seen.

The point 23 extends from a conical valvelike plug 24 carried in the conical end portion of a tubular hand-piece 26 provided with a removable cap 27 and having in its tapered end a fixed collar 28, limiting the inward movement of the plug 2 1.

removing the cap and flowing through the I opening in the stop collar 28, will, when the plug 2lis pressed inwardly, as in writing,

pass the solid inner end of the plugand flow outwardly through a channel 30. in the plug, into the groove 22 as made by the point 23 forming an electric connection betweenthe contacts 16 as the stylus is moved over them. Current is supplied to the conductive sub stance in the stylus by means of an electrode 31, passing through the cap 27 to reachthrough and past the collar 28 to engage the plug24r when the latter is raised, the outer extending end of the electrode being connected to the other pole of the electric source 10 by a flexible conductor 82. I

The operation of the device is thought ob vious from the foregoing, taken in connection with the several views, particularly Figure a, in which the stylus is illustrated as in the act of forming the grooves 22, being held in the hand and manipulated in the manner of a common writing implement.

Due to pressure exerted on the stylus handpiece 26 the point 23 normally depressed by gravity is moved upward in the cone 24, permitting the conducting liquid 29 to flow past the upper part of the plug and follow the channel 30 to the point, partially or wholly filling the groove or canal 22 in an unbroken uninterrupted stream, connecting the several contacts encountered in its path and consequently causing the corresponding lamps 13 to become illuminated, thus showing, on a magnified scale, the writing produced by the stylus and which will remain in view while the stylus is in contact with the conducting material dispensed by it.

Obviously raising the stylus breaks the circuit, which can be again closed, if desired by the stylus or other electrical connection being applied to the material in the groove 22.

VVlie'n it is desired to obliterate the writing and renew the table surface for fresh inscriptions, a roller or squeegee is passed over the semi-plastic surface 21, with suflicient pressure to level the same, causing the conducting fluidin the continuous groove 22 to flow into the channel 19 and thence the outlet 20 whereit may be collected and used to refill the reservoir in the stylus handle 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that no loss of material need occur and that the surface of the wax-like plate is easily and rapidly renewed.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An electrical writing display device comprising in combination with a source of electric energy, a field of electric lamps having a common ground in circuit with said electrical source, a series of contacts in circuit with said lamps, a yieldable plastic cover of non-conductive material over said contacts, an insulating plate in which said contacts are set, a hollow stylus having a point adapted to generate a channel in said cover extending to contacts in its path, the point having a groove communicating with the interior of the stylus, a conductive substance supplied by said stylus to flow into the channel as formed by its point. and an electrode in said stylus in circuit with said electrical source and with the conductive material therein.

2. An electrical writing display device comprising in combination with an electrical source and a field of electric lamps in circuit therewith, of a horizontal table of non-conductive material, contacts set in said table, said contacts being in circuit with said lamps, a plastic dielectric cover uniformly disposed over said table and contacts, a manually operable stylus for writing on said table, said stylus displacing a path through the cover, and means su aplied from said stylus to form a circuit with the contacts encountered in its path, said means being at all times in elec trical engagement with the electrical source.

3. An electrical writing display device comprising in combination with an electrical source and a field of electric lamps in circuit therewith, of horizontal dielectric table, contacts set in said table, said contacts each being individually in circuit with one of said lamps, a plastic dielectric cover over said table and contacts, a stylus to write on said table generating a channel in the cover, a liquid dispensed by said stylus, said liquid constituting a. conductor in the channel, and a flexible conductor connecting the liquid with the electrical source.

4. An electrical writing display device comprising in combination with an electrical source and a field of electric lamps in circuit therewith, of a table, contacts in said table in circuit individually with each lamp, a plastic dielectric covering for said table and contacts, a stylus having aconic slidable plug adapted to channel said covering, a reservoir in said stylus, a liquid conductor in said reservoir controlled by said plug, capable of being dispensed in the channel made thereby, a flexible connection between said liquid conductor and the electrical source, and a marginal channel circumjacent said table facilitating the recovery of said liquid conductor.

5. An electrical writing display device comprising in combination with an electrical source and afield of electric lamps in circuit therewith, of a horizontal dielectric table, contactsset in said table, said contacts being in circuit with said lamps, a plastic nonconducting cover uniformly disposed over said table and contacts, a manually operable stylus for inscribing said plastic cover, said stylus being in circuit with said electrical source, a liquid conductor dispensed by said stylus to for-ma circuit with the contacts, said cover having a renewable surface, and means in the marginal edges of said table for con serving the liquid conductor.

Signed at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York this 14th day of September, A. D. 1926.

CARMELO LAURIA. 

